Hearts on Fire

It was just another day as I sat behind the desk of Lou’s record store, my English homework sitting in front of me and my headphones in my ears. The Smiths played comfortingly as I did my best to focus on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the store had its usual customers. George sat in the bean bag chair kiddy corner to my counter, his short green Mohawk poked above the shelves and it made me smile.

George came in here quite often and was always great company; he was hilarious he never failed to make me laugh. We went to the same school but we never really spoke since we ran in different social circles, but in here, in here we made up for the time we missed.

I think I considered him to be a really good friend. One of the only true ones I had out of the abundance of fake and overly processed friends.

I sighed when I realized I was going to have to reread a whole page because I was too caught up in my own thoughts. Usually Shakespeare wasn’t all that strenuous for me but life had been catching up with me lately.

George and I shared a smile before I started reading again.

I was able to get through a few pages when the wind chimes above the door twinkled telling me and the rest of the people in the shop that someone new was coming in.

I only caught a brief glimpse of his chocolate colored hair; his side profile was much too hard to decipher since he wore thick framed Rayban sunglasses. He seemed pretty confident navigating around the many stacks and shelves of vinyls.

I watched him as he kicked George’s black boot in wonder, was this one of his friends?

“Killian!” George exclaimed as he pulled his large headphones off his ears so they rested around his neck, he held a hand out for the lankier boy to help him out of the sinking chair.

It was as the boy rotated his body I noticed he was carrying a black and white riding helmet, I looked to the window. Low and behold there was a black Ducati sitting out there abandoned by its owner.

I kept my eyes low so it didn’t appear that I was staring or listening to their conversation.

“I’ve been calling you for two hours man we’re gonna be late! Get your lazy ass home and change!”

Change for what? George always wore his ripped black denim with a simple black band tshirt and depending on the weather either a leather jacket or a black hoodie.

“Shit was that today?” George asked rubbing his neck, “Sorry man, let me just say goodbye to my pal over here and then we can take off.”

George made a gesture toward me it caused his friend to turn in my direction; I wasn’t positive if he was looking at me his lenses were too dark to see through but I got shivers just the same.

His complexion was of an olive color, it looked natural though as if he lived at the beach. Although that wouldn’t be surprising since we do live in sunny California. But yes the first thing I noticed about him was his skin. It was perfect. He had a few birthmarks but no blemishes, and his pale pink lips complimented his skin tone quite well.

He wore a riding jacket that looked well-worn but not completely destroyed, black denim and a studded belt, and from what I could see he sported a pair of Harley riding boots that slid perfectly over his not-too-tight pair of skinny jeans.

He was pretty to look at.

“Earth to Gauge!” George called as he waved an obnoxious hand in my face.

“Huh? What?”

“You were zoned out again.”

“Was I really?” I asked him sheepishly, “It must be the play…”

“Which one did Summers assign again?”

“Macbeth.”

“Let not light see my black and deep desires.
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see…”

I blinked at the boy he had recited a line that I quite honestly didn’t think he’d ever heard of. Or cared about. I kicked myself for thinking such an awful thing about someone I didn’t know.

“That’s deep man,” George replied slapping his taller friend’s shoulder, “Anwyay I have to get going but I wanted to say goodbye before I left.”

I smiled a friendly smile, “I’ll see you around.”

I never found the need to pry with George if he thought it important enough to tell me he would.

“I’ll bring you a snack tomorrow since you paid today.”

“I would hope so since you begged like a little boy for a good twenty minutes for ice cream.”

His friend let out a melodic chuckle; It was deeper a man’s voice no doubt, but not so deep that he sounded like James Earl Jones.

“That sounds like you,” his friend teased trying to flatten one of George’s spikes down to his scalp, “I keep telling him to get a job.”

I smiled again at the sound of his voice it was nearly as soothing as Morrissey’s.

“Shut up,” George snapped playfully side stepping his friend’s hand, “By the way Gauge this is Killian.”

“Hi.”

Why did I sound so stupid?

“Gauge as in the boy’s name?” Killian asked in amusement, “That’s a first.”

“My parents don’t care much for gender restrictions,” I replied softly, “I have an older brother named Ashley.”
‘
“I see.”

The boy gave me a handsome but if possible a pretty smile at the same time, his features were just the right amount of feminine and masculine. He could be the true definition of beauty.

I heard the buzz of someone’s iPhone and it wasn’t long until Killian pulled his out.

“Fuck dude we really gotta go,” he quickly pocketed the device again before turning back toward my counter, “It was nice meeting you.”

“You too.”

“Come on blockhead!”

George made the sound of a gasp as his friend began to exit, he just gave me a swift wave and a promise to visit me during my shift tomorrow. I smiled and waved back.

After a moment of sitting there, I tried to figure out why the image of that boy was stuck burning inside of my brain.